Man jailed for brutal attack on vulnerable Milford Haven victim

A heavily intoxicated man has been jailed after launching a vicious assault on a vulnerable adult who simply asked him to keep the noise down.

John Allen, 49, was drinking heavily and taking drugs at a flat in Milford Haven during the early hours of November 6 when the victim, who has microcephaly and is considered vulnerable, asked him to “quieten down” while he argued on the phone with a woman.

Allen’s response was shocking and violent. The 49-year-old flew into a rage, repeatedly battering the victim’s face with punches before grabbing him by the throat and threatening: “going to kill him”.

During the horrifying five-minute attack, Allen was “laughing” as he inflicted serious injuries on the defenceless man. The victim later told police he was “too afraid” to leave his own home whilst Allen was awake, only managing to escape once his attacker had fallen asleep.

When the victim’s mother received an urgent call from his aunt about the assault, she rushed to find her son with a swollen, bleeding face. Medical examinations revealed bruising to both eyes and a displaced jaw fracture.

Police arrested Allen at the flat, where they discovered damning evidence – swollen knuckles on his right hand and blood splattered across his jumper. Blood staining covered the walls, sofa and floor throughout the property.

Cardiff Crown Court heard on Tuesday, January 13, that Allen had experienced “adverse childhood experiences” and spent time in care, struggling with alcohol dependency for most of his life.

Judge Paul Hobson didn’t mince his words during sentencing, stating Allen had “launched a brutal assault upon a vulnerable man”.

Allen was sentenced to two years and four months imprisonment and given a five-year restraining order to protect the victim.